As Simple As It Gets

            In the wake of the Boston Marathon tragedy, the subject of running jumped out at me as my next sport to speak about.

            Running can be as simple as lacing up a pair of sneakers and jogging around the block or as intense as training for all 26.2 miles of a marathon. Yes, a marathon is 26.2 miles and some people are crazy enough (or maybe just determined?) to run that far.

            On April 15, 2013, the 117^th anniversary of the Boston Marathon, 23,326 runners started the race. That many people were willing to spend a few hours just to run. Some people run to stay in shape; others run for a purpose such as to raise money or awareness for a cause. Regardless of the reason, that many people were present to partake in the Boston Marathon, but only 17,584 would actually cross the finish line. (http://www.runnersworld.com/races/explosions-rock-boston-marathon-finish-line)

            Now I could go into great detail on all the happenings of the Boston Marathon, but since it is plastered all over the news I’ll leave you to do your own research. I’m here not to talk about specific races, but running in general.

            The key to running is motivation and the best motivation comes from within. A person has to want it or else he or she is never going to get anywhere in his or her training or exercising. He or she will never make progress because there are no goals set. Goals can either be short term or long term; they just need to be something to strive for.

The sport of running is one of empowerment. After completing a run or race, people realize that they can do anything they set their mind to and that their body is able to overcome pain and physical ailments to push through to the finish line or to the end.

            Many people use running as a stress reliever or a way to cope with anger or sadness. It gives people the chance to be on their own and clear their head. It gives people the opportunity to think about problems or just life in general while they do it. Running requires no concentration or smartness and that’s why anyone can do it.  

 For years scientists have wondered how a person can feel stress free and relaxed after a run, when prior to running they had been anxious, nervous, or tense.

            It is thought that distance running releases a “running high”. Scientifically speaking, this high comes from the sudden increase in endorphin levels to the brain after intense physical exercise such as running. These endorphin levels lead to mood changes, usually good moods due to the feeling of accomplishment for completing a run. (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/27/health/nutrition/27best.html)

            Running is an overall way to boost your health. It boosts levels of HDL (the good cholesterol), and also forces the body to use the 50% of the lungs that usually go unused on a day to day basis. It is the second most effective way to burn calories (cross country skiing is first). It also prevents muscle and bone growth. It is one of the easiest ways to help reduce the risk of strokes or breast cancer. Running also lowers a person’s chance of hypertension heart attacks by strengthening the heart muscle and lowering blood pressure. In addition, it strengthens the immune system because it creates white blood cells that go after diseases. (http://ririanproject.com/2007/10/22/10-benefits-of-running-and-how-to-do-it/)

            There are so many benefits to running and it’s a sport that can be started at any time and develop into not only a habit, but a way of life. You don’t need fancy clothes or equipment, just a pair of sneakers that are comfortable and have support. Many people don’t have the will power to start running because they know they aren’t fast or can run far distances from the get go. Like anything else, it takes time. Start small and work up to being able to run faster and farther. Set goals for yourself and reward yourself for accomplishing those goals.

            So get out there and run for those who no longer can.

#PrayForBoston

#PrayersForBoston

Xoxo,

~Francesca

            

Let the Madness Begin

I’ve been at a loss for what to write. That isn’t too promising considering this is only my third post. While I was sitting in the car on the way to New York City, it hit me relatively hard. Why not write about what I’m going to be doing this week? It’s not a normal week for me because I’m spending the remaining of it in the Big Apple. No, I’m not going to shop (okay maybe a little) or sightsee; instead, most of my time will be spent in one of the most legendary venues in the world, Madison Square Garden.

            Everything from concerts, wrestling matches, boxing, basketball games, hockey games, political events, and many things in between have been hosted at The Garden. This week at MSG though is an event close to my heart, the Big East Conference basketball tournament.

            I’ve been fortunate to attend the Big East tournament for the past five of the 31 years it has been hosted in NYC. The Big East Tournament conference championship is the longest running tournament held in the same venue consecutively.

This tournament means so much to me since for the past five years I’ve been cheering for my Dad’s old alma mater, the Pitt Panthers. Well I’m a big girl now and Daddy’s views just aren’t cutting it. This season I’ll be dolled up in my orange and rooting for Syracuse. Might as well get used to it now since the ‘Cuse is where I’ll be in the fall. (Dad is taking the heartbreaking news of me attending Syracuse relatively well. I mean, for a diehard Pitt fan he at least only grimaces now when I wear my orange around the house; he won’t be caught dead in it though!)

            Time to break it down a little. If you pick up a magazine or newspaper, or turn the T.V. on to a sports’ channel, even just for a second, you probably are going to hear the word “conference” in reference to college sports. Some conferences are renowned: Big Ten, Southeastern (SEC), Western Atlantic (WAC), even the Ivy league is well known. There are 31 different Division 1 conferences in America.

            Division 1 (D1) is the highest level of athletics at the college level. There are currently 340 D1 schools in the U.S. (football is also further broken down into D1-A and D1-AA, but we’re talking about basketball so we can worry about that another time). A school will be classified D1 as long as there are at least seven sports for men and seven for women or six for men and eight for women. There are several other NCAA rules that distinguish between the different divisions.  Another prominent rule is that D1 has to offer student athletes a minimum amount of financial aid but cannot exceed a maximum.

            Now the Big East isn’t going to be quite the same next year. This will actually be the last tournament held at MSG because of so many teams leaving the conference. Colleges move around conferences for one main reason – money. Many teams are leaving the Big East after this season because there is no television money in this particular conference. In 2011, conference president John Marinatto had a nine-year, $1.17 billion deal with ESPN. That money would have been divided amongst the schools in the conference and each would’ve received approximately $13.8 million per season and basketball-only schools would’ve been paid $2.5 million. Instead, the president and other members of the board rejected the deal thinking they’d be able to get a better deal somehow. Well the plan fell through and now the schools aren’t receiving the funding they could elsewhere and are deciding to leave in hopes of making more money.

            The Big East’s current deal will be expiring after this basketball season and the upcoming 2013 football season. With that being said, teams are getting out before they lose any more money. Schools want their athletes to get recognized nationally not only for them to get recruited to play professional ball, but also for their school to be more appealing to incoming freshmen and transfer students.

            While I’m sitting in one of the 17,200 seats, eating my nachos and Garden dog, I’ll be taking in quite a few basketball games every day. I sure can’t complain! The teams work their butts off for the coveted title. All sixteen teams of the Big East are seeded in the conference tournament based on its record. Any non-conference games are ignored and ties have a special formula used to calculate them. The top four teams receive a double-bye and don’t play until the quarter finals. A bye simply means they don’t have to battle their way to the top, they’re rewarded for having a successful season and therefore can relax before the big game. Teams seeded #5 through #8 receive a bye to the second round, but teams seeded #9 through #16 play first-round games. It’s a single elimination tournament so once a team loses it can pack its bags and head home.

            This tournament, along with the rest of the conference tournaments taking place is a very important time because it all leads up to the “big dance”, March Maddness.

            Yes, we are partway through March already. But March Maddness is the NCAA tournament that begins Tuesday, March 19^th, and actually concludes Monday, April 8^th. During March Maddness, 68 men’s basketball teams will have the chance to play their hearts out and reach the NCAA Tournament Championship game. (There is also a women’s tournament where 64 teams enter, but since I’m going to the men’s Big East tournament and talking about men’s basketball that’s where my focus lies. Besides men’s basketball is usually more of a focal point in a conversation rather than women’s, make yourself sound smart and study this post well!)

            The whole process begins while the conference tournaments are going on and wraps up on what is known as “Selection Sunday.” On this particular day, the 37 teams that didn’t gain an automatic bid (those teams that didn’t win their conference championship) are selected by a committee made up of athletic directors and conference commissioners in an at-large bid. This means that the committee determines what other teams deserve to enter and then invites that particular team to do so. Teams are selected by record, ranking, difficulty of schedule, and many other factors. After the committee finalizes its decision, the bracket is revealed and the games begin.

             Many people are familiar with the March Madness brackets. I know I will see dozens scattered throughout my house between my brother, dad, and I next week. Soon announcers and so-called “bracketologists”, those whose sole purpose in life is to predict brackets and the outcomes of games and tournaments, will be talking about who’s going to win the grand-daddy of them all this year. Pick up a bracket and compare it to what ranking the teams finished with during the regular season. It really is quite a science how the committee forms the bracket, trying to make each region as even as possible. Getting involved with brackets and polls is easy and sometimes even money is involved! Do your homework and study some teams, the higher seeded teams aren’t guaranteed the win, upsets are inevitable. Pick games and take chances, you have nothing to lose and it’s a lot of fun!

            That’s just a brief overview of conference tournaments as well as March Madness and bracketology. The college basketball world is already abuzz with all that is going on so know what’s up and be able to speak confidently about it!

But for now, let the Madness begin!

Xoxo,

~Francesca

Step Into the Circle

            One of my favorite sports, and one of the most controversial topics in the sporting world right now is my subject for today. I felt the need to talk about wrestling after sitting in a big, stinky, smelly gym for 13+ hours this weekend watching nothing but men trying to prove who could survive in the circle longer. Many people would complain, but I was living the dream. I assume that a lot of the girls who were there were more than likely just present to check out the hundreds of guys in singlets, but I’m a bit classier than that. I’ve had a countdown going for weeks until the District tournament; I look forward to it more than any other weekend of the year! There’s just something about watching those guys work their butts off all season and having to prove everything they have in six minutes or less (okay sometimes more with overtimes too). But the excitement is just unreal and it can’t be compared to any other sport. There isn’t another sport where there is only one winner and one loser. Only one man will have his hand raised at the end of the match and the other needs to accept the defeat and only can improve. That’s a tough lesson to take and a reason I have so much respect for wrestlers.

            A lot of people don’t ever want to take the time to learn about wrestling because they stereotype it by thinking it’s just men rolling around and touching each other. It’s one of the simplest and oldest sports, dating back to the 12^th or 13^th century where it was first mentioned by Homer in The Illiad.

            I just want to give a brief account of what wrestling is and also what it means to some people.

            There are a few different forms of wrestling and each form comes with its own set of rules and point system.

Olympic wrestling is different than what I was watching this past weekend. High school wrestling, usually referred to as “folkstyle” differs from the Olympic events of “freestyle” and “Greco-Roman.”

            Both folkstyle and freestyle are similar in that they use the same mats, both styles use the same equipment, and both styles try to score points in one way or another, ultimately trying to “pin” their opponent. Pinning is when one competitor, in a controlled manner, is able to force the other competitor on to his back with shoulder blades touching the mat for a certain period of time. Both styles also divide wrestlers by weight classes which vary anywhere from 5-15 pounds between weights.

            The two differ in the amount of time a period lasts as well as their point systems. Folkstyle is three periods, or rounds, that last two or three minutes with brief rests in between. Freestyle is a bit different in that it could be two, one-minute periods or perhaps even one, five-minute round. Olympic wrestling is two rounds which last for three minutes. Now not to really confuse you, but if a pin occurs, regardless of the amount of time left on the clock the match is immediately over with the “pinner” being declared the winner. If a pin, often called “a fall” doesn’t take place, the wrestler with the most points at the end of a match is given the win. Points are awarded for different moves that are used to help pin the opponent. The riskier the move, the more points awarded. In folkstyle, two points are awarded for takedowns (literally the act of bringing a person to the ground) and reversals (just like it sounds, the ability to escape from the defensive position and gain power of the offensive position). A single point will be awarded for an escape (getting out of an opponent’s hold), and two-three points, often called back points, are given to a wrestler when they have their opponent’s back near the mat and are in control, also often referred to as a near fall. Freestyle differs in that takedowns, near falls, and escapes are all single points, but take downs resulting from throws can be anywhere from one-four points depending on the difficulty and execution of the throw.

            At this point you may be thinking to yourself, one minute, two minutes, even five minutes, that’s nothing! That isn’t a lot of time at all, how hard could it be to last that long? I asked a few wrestlers what those moments are like. I know from my years of sitting in the bleachers they’re sometimes fun to watch, but most of the time it’s extremely nerve-racking. I received a few different responses but many wrestlers echoed the same thoughts and I’d like to share them with you.

The guys said that those few minutes are like the final minutes before the last bell of the school year – they seem to drag on and can seem like the longest minutes of a person’s life. Most spend the time thinking of strategy, a game plan, what to do and how to score. They know that it’s now or never and they need to wrestle smart if they expect to win. With an easier match sometimes, thoughts may drift to who may be watching or what they’re going to eat after (if they can eat anything at all!). Thoughts can be completely crazy and absolutely random, but the biggest thing on everyone’s mind seems to be strategy. Guys wonder and plan when they should try a certain move or how they can capitalize if something their opponent tries falls through. All in all, thoughts vary from match to match, but like any other sport it’s about strategy, and the long lasting thought of survival of the fittest.

            I’m not switching gears all that much, but I’d like to pose a question for my fellow readers: how do you get people from the Middle East, America, and European nations to all agree on something? Well taking away wrestling as a sport in the Olympic Games seems to be doing the trick. Whoever would’ve thought that Iran and America would be on the same page? I mean, two of the most politically hostile countries have actually become alliances and are fighting together to make sure wrestling doesn’t disappear from the most sought after championship in the world.

            When the International Olympic Committee first announced their decision to remove wrestling, one of the oldest sports in Olympic history, from the summer games of 2020 I was shocked. Wrestling was first introduced to the Olympics back in Athens in 1896. (Women’s wrestling was even added in 2004 to give women the same chance at competition as men.) I didn’t, and still don’t understand how a century later it’s being removed?

             After the Olympic board (IOC) looked over the 26 sports played in the summer Olympic Games, the decision to eliminate one sport to allow another onto the program was acted upon.

            In last year’s London Olympics, 344 athletes competed in eleven freestyle events and seven Greco-Roman. Of the 68 countries that were in the Olympics, 21 were awarded a medal in wrestling.

            Wrestling is up against seven other sports bidding for the remaining spot in the 2020 games. Those sports are baseball and softball, karate, squash, roller sports, sport climbing, wakeboarding, and wushu (a martial art).

            I don’t really understand why a sport such as golf is being added to the 2016 games? How is golf proving itself as a sport? It takes almost zero athletic ability. Yes, I will admit it is a challenging sport – one that takes years of practice to finally master, but it isn’t as challenging physically, or even emotionally as wrestling. Golfers have their own crowns and respective competitions. Isn’t the Masters enough for them? The same goes for cycling, tennis, football, and basketball. The Tour de France, Wimbledon, Super Bowl, and NBA Finals are all the ultimate win for the sports I just mentioned. The Olympic Games is all that wrestling has.

            The decision to take wrestling off the program was first introduced after 39 different factors were analyzed. These included: television ratings, ticket sales, anti-doping policy, global participation, popularity, and also political, emotional, and sentimental factors reviewed by the fifteen member board. (http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2013/02/12/ioc-drops-wrestling-2020-olympics.html) Wrestling also ranked low in the rating system of the Olympic Games. Of the 113,851 tickets available, only 116, 854 were sold, and the poor viewing on television broadcasts (23 million average of a maximum 58.5 million viewers), wrestling was considered not worth continuing to support nationally. (http://espn.go.com/olympics/wrestling/story/_/id/8939185/ioc-drops-wrestling-2020-olympics)

            People are outraged that the pentathlon event, the other lowest ranking sport that was originally going to be removed from the Olympics, wasn’t voted off instead of wrestling. The event represents 108 countries compared to the 177 that have participated in wrestling. The event was founded in 1912 and is five different events combined in to one (pistol shooting, fencing, 200 meter freestyle, show jumping, and a 3 km cross country run.) In my opinion the pentathlon is more of a sport than golf or table tennis and the IOC needs to really review what the criteria should be for an even to be considered an Olympic sport.

            Mark Adams, spokesman for the IOC told ESPN that the board is going through a process to renew and renovate the program for the Olympics. This decision was made not to hurt the sport of wrestling, but to help the other 25 core sports. (http://espn.go.com/olympics/wrestling/story/_/id/8939185/ioc-drops-wrestling-2020-olympics)

The meeting to propose which sports to include in the 2020 games will take place in May in St. Petersburg, Russia. Those who are pushing for the sport to be included have high hopes for this “home-field advantage”. In the London games, Russia brought home 11 wrestling medals, more than any other country. Many are hopeful that his wrestling dominated country will be able to influence the board on making a decision regarding the status of wrestling. The final decision will be made in September in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The IOC board believes that removing wrestling because of its low ratings will help modernize the Olympics. My personal opinion is that it is going to make a major impact and hurt the games. I feel that boycotts will take place and people who are beyond passionate about the sport may even start riots. Wrestling is not only a popular sport in a variety of countries, but it is almost as historic as the Olympics themselves. There is a deep root of tradition in wrestling and it has become a sport of universality. Again, just look at Iran and America, fighting for the same thing. If it can bring these two countries together it must be something worth saving.

Do you believe wrestling is worth keeping in the Olympics, or do you think it should be replaced with something else? Post your comments below and voice your opinion.

You can probably already guess my view; join the fight to help keep Olympic wrestling alive!

 #saveolympicwrestling

 #savewrestling2020

Xoxo,

~Francesca       

A Look Inside My Life

Most people don’t believe I’m a sports writer, but I mean, why should they? I’m an 18 year old girl who shows up to games dressed relatively stylish, with a cute briefcase and a stat book in hand. Coaches usually scoff at me when I ask for a lineup or worse yet, try to flirt with me.  Many think being a writer is a joke. Yes, I do get in to games for free, but I don’t go just to hang out with all my friends. It is weird that I’m “working” while my fellow peers are working their asses off on a field or court. I get to relax, sit there, and take it all in. Well, that makes my job sound easy, but it’s stressful too. I like to prop myself in the corner of the gym or far from the fans so no one tries to disturb me or tell me how I should write. I always say if they would like to tell me how to do my job they can go pick up an application at the paper. But from the first quarter, period, inning or whatever it is, I’m working just as hard as those players. I need to remember every single detail, every play, and I can’t mess up because people read what I write. They get to critique what I do and if they don’t like my style or what I’ve chosen to write about, so be it, but I’ll hear feedback.

I love what I do though. I’ve met so many different people and I’ve been able to do my favorite thing in the world – watch sports. I get paid to go sit at a game or match and just take it in. Sometimes the hours are long, even those who are paid to write get writer’s block too. But in the end it’s all worth it. Picking up the paper the next day and seeing my name next to an article, especially one that makes the front page, is so rewarding. Better yet is when people in public tell me they’ve read my work and like what I have to say. Some people also tell me when I mess up or get something wrong, or even when they don’t like how I’ve worded a particular play or call, but it all comes with the job.

I’m in the minority, not only am I the youngest person who works in the sports section at the paper I’m at, but I’m the only girl as well. I’m the butt of a few jokes, even coaches and officials tease me saying it’s nice that they’ve brought me in to “class the place up”, but I don’t let those comments bother me. I’ve always been considered one of the guys because of my extensive knowledge of sports.

I like to think I know a little bit about every sport out there, but I’m sure there are some I’ve never even heard of before. I have my strong points. Football, my absolute, hands-down, favorite sport, and one of the most complicated for women to understand is an area I thrive in. Maybe it’s because my vision and knowledge of the game usually makes it beyond the sidelines and the players’ asses in spandex. Or perhaps it’s due to my dad’s love of the game? I’ve been lucky enough to be raised in a football family. Daddy was a walk-on linebacker at the University of Pittsburgh, while both my cousins went to play in college as well. My oldest cousin Frankie also coached at both Class AA as well as AAAA in the area, and has high hopes of moving on to coach college ball. I’ve learned a lot from watching his style of coaching and how his teams work. But I learn the most just sitting around the TV with the guys.

I know a whole lot about basketball, baseball, and softball as well. All were sports I played at a young age but ended up giving up so as to write instead.

 I hold my own in the wrestling department too. I was born in to a wrestling family. Both my uncles were District champions and my godfather was the first two-time District champion our town ever had. Wrestling is about so much more than guys rolling around on a sweaty mat, it’s a sport of hard-work and discipline. If you don’t believe me, try dating or living with a wrestler. I’ve never seen men exercise such control and restraint in their lives. It looks easy, until you take on the challenge to wrestle one and end up on your back in less than ten seconds. Take it from me and from experience, it’s definitely not as easy as it looks so don’t be judgmental.

I started this blog because my mom gave me the idea. She’s said for years that I know so much about sports and I should share my knowledge with the rest of the female population. If males read this too, more power to you. You’re getting a look inside the female mind or perhaps I’m answering questions you’re too scared to ask your jock buddies.

I’ll be giving my random thoughts about things happening in the sports world whenever I have the time. And just throwing it out there now, there may be some random rants and things that get completely off topic, but I’m a random and opinionated person, I apologize in advance! But for this to work I hope to have feedback from people too, so ask me questions! Tell me what you want to know or hear about! I can’t answer if I don’t know, and I’m open to all opinions.

But more to come later!

Xoxo,

~Francesca